Hope Shared

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  

1 Thessalonians 3:9-12

Sharing our great hope in Jesus Christ with others is the main thrust of what we commonly call The Great Commission.  This was the job description Jesus gave to his followers on the day he ascended back to his Father in Heaven:

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

The “work” is really a privilege and joy.  In his letter to the Thessalonian believers Paul outlined that work in four “pillars” that hold our witness together:

Rejoicing

Apostle Paul said he thanked God for his relationship with the church at Thessalonica, and his joy was great because of their faith growing stronger. 

When the genuine joy of knowing Christ courses through your veins, sharing that blessed hope of Christ does not have to be manufactured with a memorized speech, or pamphlets; it speaks volumes of winsomeness.

Praying

Paul’s prayer life was night and day for the presence of God to grow strong in those with whom he had shared God’s love.  When you’ve taken the bold and vulnerable step of sharing the love of Christ with others, they will not slip from your mind.  You are vested in what God will do with them in His kingdom.

Hanging-out

Because of the interest in filling-in the gaps of faith many new believers might experience, you want to be with them to nurture faith at whatever point they are challenged.  Hanging-out with believers increases faith; growing joy is the wonderful result of that fellowship.

Blessing

Paul wasn’t reproducing “Paul” in these people; he was seeing the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory[1] manifested in those who had accepted Christ by faith, and were living under His Lordship.  His fatherly blessing was an act of love and prophetic hope…he was passing-along the faith once delivered to the saints[2].

For You Today 

Throughout my life many saints have poured-in strength and help as I’ve lived and grown.  Jesus said:  to whom much is given, much will be required.[3]  This speaks of our responsibility to pass along the joy with our prayers, presence, and always being a blessing – never an adversary – to those who need to know Christ.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

[2] Jude 1:3

[3] Luke 12:48

Good News?

Friday, September 8, 2023

And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”  But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”  So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.  But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message?  Yes, they have:  “The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”  But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand?  Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said, “I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.           I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”  And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me.       I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”  But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”  Romans 10:15-21

At times obeying God’s commandments and calling can bring puzzling results, especially if you’re talking about preaching.  A wise philosopher named Forrest Gump said his momma told him life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.  It’s like that with some sermons.  One time I prayed over, and prepared diligently, a sermon that I thought would be a turning point for the congregation I was serving.  I imagined Billy Graham hearing it and stealing it for his next crusade.  I was wrong…it only made several members of my congregation angry…the rest probably never thought more about it than the fried chicken dinner they had after worship was over.  Fast-forward to another congregation, there was that Sunday evening service where I preached a sermon I hadn’t prepared well.  It was all over the place, from Genesis to Revelation, prophets, Moses, apostles, and even a digression into the Song of Solomon; when the invitation was given, the altar was full of weeping Christians.  So, who knew?

In today’s Scripture Apostle Paul makes the point that God had given Israel such Good News about God’s love and promised salvation, and given them the job of spreading that Good News to the world – including the nations of Gentiles – but Israel just dropped the ball.  Not the reaction you’d expect from people rescued from being slaves in Egypt, protected by a God who would let them escape Pharaoh’s army by walking on dry land through the Red Sea, fed by manna, wearing clothes that didn’t wear-out for forty years, and supernaturally blessed to possess the Promised Land.  If that isn’t strange enough, how about the best response to the Good News of God’s love coming from the “lost heathens”…the Gentile nations!  In the end, Forrest Gump’s momma was right…you never know.

For You Today 

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not tame news.  That’s because our God is no tamed pet; He is the LORD, creator of all we can see and know, and much more.  God’s plans are not predictable, but they are certain.  Our “job” as those who follow Him is to proclaim that Good News, and leave the results to God’s keeping.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Images:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain. Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Upside Down

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Tuesday, January 14, 2020

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria…. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.  Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.  Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.  Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims.  And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.  So there was great joy in that city.  A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.  Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”  They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.  But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.  As a result, many men and women were baptized.  Then Simon himself believed and was baptized.  He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.  Acts 8:1b, 4-13

It’s worth a look to notice that the clergy were left behind in Jerusalem when the great persecution happened.  Some would perceive the laity were afraid and ran.  Others (perhaps more discerning) might see the way God does things, turning just about whatever is in sight on its’ ear…upside down.  Or, in this case, God turned things right-side-up!  God doesn’t make mistakes!

Philip was not a preacher, but God used him to get parts 2 and 3 of the Great Commission[2] started.  Jesus gave His disciples these marching orders just as He was about to ascend back to the Father in Heaven.  They would be his witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, and part 4 would be an extension of His Gospel to the ends of the earth.[3]

But why (we always ask why) – why use the followers?  Isn’t that a job for the leaders?  I suppose the simplest answer is yes – but only if you’re not planning to turn the world upside down.  And, therein is the rub; God always turns things upside-down.   

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.  1 Corinthians 1:27

You expect to hear the religious stuff from the professionals, but that’s not what God wanted spread throughout the world with the souls of untold millions at stake.  What he wanted was the pure, unadulterated truth about Jesus, backed up by the lives of those who willingly chose to put everything at risk to follow Christ.  The clergy (Apostles, if you will) set the stage in sharing from the religious base of Jerusalem; it was the laity who took the message and ran with it.

For You Today

If you think its tough living today as a Christian in a world seemingly gone mad with unbelief and violence, you’re right; it is hard.  But God is up to something in our day.  Something is happening, and just maybe it will not be the religious professionals who change things, who turn this upside-down world right-side-up! 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

[2] Matthew 28:19-20

[3] Acts 1:8

I Know the Plans I Have for You

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As a preface to this morning’s message I want to take you back to nursery school with me and learn one of the most important lessons all of us needs.  This lesson comes from Dr. Seuss, who teaches us about having a purpose, and taking a risk to live out that purpose.  

Did I ever tell you about the young Zode,

Who came to two signs at the fork in the road?

One said to Place One, and the other, Place Two.

So the Zode had to make up his mind what to do.

Well…the Zode scratched his head, and his chin and his pants.

And he said to himself, “I’ll be taking a chance

If I go to Place One. Now, that place may be hot!

And so, how do I know if I’ll like it or not?

On the other hand though, I’ll be sort of a fool

If I go to Place Two and find it too cool.

In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue!

So, maybe Place One is the best, not Place Two,

But then again, what if Place One is too high?

I may catch a terrible earache and die!

So Place Two may be best!  On the other hand though…

What might happen to me if Place Two is too low?

I might get some very strange pain in my toe!

So Place One may be best,” and he started to go.

Then he stopped, and he said,

“On the other hand though….

On the other hand…other hand…other hand though…”

And for 36 hours and a half that poor Zode

Made starts and made stops at the fork in the road.

Saying, “Don’t take a chance. No! You may not be right.”

Then he got an idea that was wonderfully bright!

“Play safe!” cried the Zode.  “I’ll play safe. I’m no dunce!

I’ll simply start out for both places at once!”

And that’s how the Zode who would not take a chance

Got no place at all with a split in his pants.

This morning we are focusing on our mission to reach the community around us.  God had definite plans for his church to be successful; Jeremiah said God said, quite specifically, that his plans for us are good:

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

In addition, the Great Commission Jesus gave to all disciples gets a little more specific about the where, how, and why of our mission, and where we get the resources and power to carry out the mission:

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

In many places throughout Scripture we are told to feed, clothe, and heal those who are the victims of hunger, homelessness, sickness, abuse, and all the ills life can throw at us.  This too is part of our mission. 

The following statement could summarize the road we are supposed to be travelling:

Mt Zion United Methodist Church, as disciples of Jesus Christ, exists to provide worship and Christian education, responding in loving action to a needy world! 

I have to say that my attempt at writing a mission statement is my attempt, not a mandate for this community of faith.  But there are 3 very compelling, simple facts here that we must admit.

     1.     Christ calls us to mission

     2.     A church that doesn’t focus on that mission is saying “no” to God.

     3.     We don’t want to be that church!

And, so the sermon this morning is just one sentence:

Let’s not be that church; let’s be the church that lives-out our mission commitment!

And toward that end I invite you to join in reaffirming our baptismal vows as people who want to follow Jesus, make disciples, and transform the world.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…Amen!

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[1] Title Image:  Katelynn Brownworth      All Scripture from The New Living Translation (unless otherwise stated) 

The Barnabas Effect

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Monday, May 20, 2019

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria.  They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.  However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.  The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.  When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.  And many people were brought to the Lord.  Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul.  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch.  Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people.  (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)   Acts 11:19-26

It is God who ordains people to the ministry, setting apart those whom He has called to give their lives in calling others to faith in Christ.  In the ceremony we see the hands of the ordained (bishops, and other clergy) placed on the head of the candidate as a symbol of that calling, consecrating the blessing of God.  But, there is a great and largely unseen force at work also…the Barnabas effect.  The art of blessing from “behind the scenes” is truly a magnificent thing to discover in life.  Most of the encouragers I know seem effortless about it; it is a gift that flows as naturally from them as the joy you see on an infant’s face when she first notices that shiny, dangly mobile above her crib.

Christians were scattered out in all directions from Jerusalem because of persecution told everybody about Jesus.  It spread from being a new sect of Judaism into an everyone welcome movement.  Gentiles began flooding into the faith at Antioch, and Barnabas was sent to check out the reports.  What this encourager of the first order found made his heart leap for joy…the fulfillment of prophecy that, through Abraham’s line all the world would be blessed.  Barnabas stayed just long enough to encourage and support the revival, but couldn’t wait to go get Paul.  When the Apostle arrived at Antioch the floodgates bringing tons of new Christians into the fold required the next year to train and turn-loose for ministry. 

While it was God at back of all the events, orchestrating, and moving people by His Spirit, Barnabas was the nexus God used to hold it all together and cross-pollinate goodness, joy, and obedience throughout the process.

The importance of encouragement cannot be underestimated.  I have seen, firsthand, how the Barnabas effect changes first the life of those who would minister…but the trickle-down result of the spiritual mid-wife, encouraging the new believer from the womb of being born-again is the miracle of the Great Commission in action.  Without Barnabas there would be many still-born of the faith, and very few effective evangelists.

From this preacher’s perspective, my undying gratitude to all the Barnabas saints in my life…my bride, Missy, Anne, Mom, Thom, Rodney, David, Kenneth, Don, Marshall, Jennifer, Carrie, Sarah, and a truly great cloud of others.

For You Today

Scripture tells us that winning people to faith in Christ is the work of all who would be obedient

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.  Proverbs 11:30

Barnabas encouragers fill a big gap in what the evangelists among us cannot do nearly as well as those called to pave the path to Heaven with encouraging words and ways.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com  
             Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from The New Living Translation©

On That Day

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Monday, October 15, 2018

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.  They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.  And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings.  And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.  They sang, “Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever!  Amen.”  Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white?  Where did they come from?”  And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.  “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple.  And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter.  They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.  For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.  He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.  And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”  Revelation 7:9-17(NLT)

There is a longing for justice inside every human who has ever drawn breath.  We are hard-wired by our Creator to see and crave order, particularly setting right that which has been wrong.  The injustice of human madness (murder, sex-trafficking, dictators, and even down to playground bullying) cries out from the dust of the earth like Abel’s blood. 

If my bride and I are watching a TV drama where the bad guy seems to be getting away with his heinous crime, sooner or later, when that villain gets what’s coming to him, Elizabeth will just about jump out of her seat with a YES!

This passage from John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ is one of those YES times in Scripture.  Pulling back the future’s veil John shows us the oppressed, martyred saints of the great tribulation as they’re welcomed in Heaven, healed and whole, and in full fellowship in the presence of their Redeemer; what was wrong is now changed to glorious, as He wipes away every tear on that day!

Whenever I reflect on one of these “yes” passages there is a little reminder floating around in my brain of the criticism I have heard throughout the years of those who seem to dwell on the “yes” passages:

He’s so heavenly-minded he’s no earthly-good!

The point here is that we can get a little lop-sided in our thinking.  We do that because it is easier to live an uncomplicated, non-messy life in a cocoon of Christian fellowship; so, we use these “yes” passages to insulate us from the Great Commission call of going into all the world with the gospel in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other. 

On the other side of that lopsided coin, for the more stoic and heroic among us, these “yes” moments are simply an inspiration to bolster a life’s career-choice to keep one’s hands dirty in the toil of the fight; we seize the pain of the martyrs as a rallying cry to press the battle, demonstrate, resist, and call everything dark.

A “yes” passage isn’t there to do away with the hard work of meeting sin and darkness head-on, facing the ravages of Satan’s onslaught, just to give us a hide-out in the heavenlies, where all is sweetness and light.  Rather, those passages are there to remind us WHY we do what we do in spiritual warfare, and in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and giving a cup of cool water in Jesus’ name.

Those passages are also there to remind us that doing all that good stuff isn’t the point of our existence.  Our citizenship is truly in heaven, and earth is a training ground for how we will spend eternity.  Resistance movements may be necessary at times, but when your whole life is a resistance existence, your whole life is spent pushing people into opposing camps.  And that is not cooperating with the one who extended an invitation to whosoever will to come to Him and live together in healthy fellowship.

That’s what real justice is all about.

For You Today

YES moments are important to help us along the way, and keeping balanced means we don’t just live there; but it sure helps to visit often!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy of Pixabay.com